Crimping tool



Nov. 3, 1964 c. STOLTZ CRIMPING TOOL 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed s- 2 1961 H. c1 STOLTZ Nov. 3, 1964 CRIMPING- TOOL 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 29, 1961 Nov. 3, 1964 Filed Aug. 29, 1961 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 I[ II I Ill H. C. STOLTZ CRIMPING TOOL Nov. 3, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 29, 1961 United States Patent 3,155,137 URIMPING TUGL Herbert C. dtoltz, Hershey, Pa, assignor to AME incorporated, Harrisburg, Pa. Filed Aug. 29, 19621, Ser. No. 134,716 (Ilaims. (Cl. 1531) This invention relates to semi-automatic crimping tools having means for feeding connectors in strip or belt form to a position between the crimping dies.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved crimping tool for electrical connectors. It is a further object to provide a compact and relatively lightweight crimping tool having a feeding means for connectors which does not project beyond the tool housing. A still further object is to provide a crimping tool actuated by compressed air or other motive fluid having a feeding means with an improved linkage for actuating the crimping dies and the feeding means during each operating cycle. A further object is to provide a crimping tool for strip or belt form connectors having an improved clamping means and feeding means for the strip or belt.

These and other objects are achieved in a preferred embodiment comprising a cylindrical housing having a reciprocable piston therein. The piston moves a conical cam axially Within the housing during each cycle and a plurality of levers are rocked by this cam to drive a plurality of indentors into the crimping zone at one end of the tool housing, this rocking action taking place during the movement of the piston in one direction to wards the indentors during the first part of the operating cycle. The terminals are supplied in parallel spaced apart relationship in the form of a belt or strip which is advanced during each operating cycle by means of a shuttle. The shuttle is reciprocated by means of an oscillating cam mounted on the end of a jack shaft which in turn is oscillated by means of a push rod that is engaged by the piston. The preferred embodiment also has a clamping means for the belt or strip of terminals which is normally in clamping engagement "therewith to permit movement of the shuttle in its non-feeding direction without moving the belt itself. This clamping means is positively disengaged from the belt during the feeding portion of the cycle by means of the oscillating cam referred to above so that during movement of this cam in one direction, it both disengages the clamp from the belt and, at the same time, advances the shuttle to feed the belt. In the preferred embodiment the shuttle is mounted adjacent to the crimping dies and symmetrically with respect to these dies so that the space occupied by the shuttle does not extend beyond the space which would, in any event, be required for the crimping dies and their actuating levers.

In the drawing:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the invention with portions of the cylinder wall cut away to reveal the actuating mechanism of the tool.

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the preferred embodiment with the cylinder wall cut away.

FIGURE 3 is a View taken along the lines 33 of FIGURE 2 showing the internal elements of the tool in full section.

FIGURE 4 is a view taken along the lines 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is a perspective view showing an end plate in which the crimping indentors are mounted and including portions of the clamping mechanism; this plate is shown inverted from the position it occupies in FIGURES 1-3.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view of the plate of FIG- URE 5; and

Fatented Nov. 3, 1964 FIGURE 7 is a perspective sectional view showing the feed shuttle and its associated structure.

FIGURE 8 is an exploded view of the feed and its associated structure; and

FIGURE 9 is a sectional view showing the ends of the actuating levers and their relationship to the shuttle.

Referring first to FIGURES l-3,.the preferred embodiment of the invention comprises a cylindrical housing 2 having an end wall 4 throughwhich extends arod 6. This rod has an enlarged fitting 3 on its ends which receives a threaded couplingon the end of a supply hose 10 for motive fluid such as compressed air. A passageway 12 extends axially through the fitting 8 and into the rod for a short distance and lateral passageways 14 extend from passageway 12 to the interior of the cylinder 2. Compressed air is supplied to, and exhausted from, the interior of the cylinder through "this hose and the passageways by means of a suitable system of control valves, not specifically shown.

A piston 16 is slidably mounted on the rod 6 and has a peripheral flange ls extending axially within the cylinder and bearing against the interior walls thereof. A cam 20 is loosely and slidably mounted on the rod6 and has a conical surface which slopes toward the axis of the tool. This cam is normally biased to the position shown in FIGURE 3, that is against a boss 22 on the piston 16, by means of a coil spring 24. This spring surrounds the rod 6 and bears against a slidable guide 26 positioned between the spring and the cam. At its opposite end, the spring 24 is received within a recess in a plate 28 threaded at 39 to the end of the rod 6. It will be apparent from the description thus far that this plate and the rod 6 need not be secured tothe cylinder 2 but that the parts willbe maintained in the position shown by virtue of the effect of the spring.

The plate 28 has four evenly spaced radially extending slots 32 and the upper side of thepla te as viewed inFIG- URE 2 has cars 34- extending therefrom on each side of each of the slots. Levers 36 are pivotally mountedbetween these cars at 38, the rearward or lower ends l0 of these levers being bifurcated and having cam followers in the form of rollers 39 mounted thereon for cooperation with the conical surface of cam 20. Contractile Springs 37 normally urge the followers on the levers against the surface of the cam 20 as is shown in FIGURE 1. The forward or upper ends 44- of the levers extend beyond the plate 28 and, as shown in FIGURE9, are received in the open ends of indentors 45 so that upon rocking movement of the levers about their pivotal axes 38, the four indentors are simultaneously driven radially towards a common center to indent a terminal or connector as will be described below. 7

Referring now to FIGURE 6, each indentor 45 is generally cylindrical in its intermediate section 46 and has a shoulder 48 and a reduced'end section St at one end thereof. An indenting protrusion 52 extends from this reduced end and penetrates the connector during the crimping operation. The opposite end of each indentor is slotted as shown at 54 and a pin 56 extends between the opposed sides of the slot. As is apparent from FIGURE 9, the end 44- of the lever is advantageously rounded and is received between the base of the slot 54 and the pin.

The indentors are slidably mounted in a pair of generally semi-cylindrical indentor housings 58 which are located and secured in the upper end of the cylinder 2 by means of suitable fasteners 65 and a flange o. The opposing sides of these housings have wire entrance guides 61, 61 to guide the wire into an uncrimped terminal in the tool. Since these two housings are substantial mirror images of each other, a description of one will suffice for both and only the housing which appears on the right in shuttle 9 FIGURES 3 and 4 will be described in detail. Similar reference numerals will be used for corresponding parts of both housings but prime marks will be employed to differentiate the parts of the housing on the left in FIG- URE 3.

The housing 58 has a generally V-shaped recess extending inwardly from its face 59. Two radial openings 62 extend inwardly from the cylindrical surface 63 to this recess on each side of its apex, these openings being of a size sufficient slidably to accommodate the large diameter 46 of the indentors. Radially extending slots 64- in the surface 67 of the block communicate with the openings 62 for the accommodation of the ends 4 of the levers (FIGURE 9). These slots 64 are of a length suflicient to permit the rocking motion of the levers by means of which the indentors are moved. A triangular clamping block 68 is disposed within the recess 6i and has an extension 7t on its apex which is received within a groove '74 extending radially from the recess. This groove is of a width sufiicient slidably to receive the base portion 72 of the extension 70 which is of stepped construction as shown at 73. Locking plates 84, secured in recesses in the upper surface of the block 58, overlap the extension and hold it and the triangular block in position. These locking plates are spaced apart from each other so that the central portion of the extension 7h is received between the opposed sides of these plates. A pocket 76 is formed in the block 58 beneath the groove 74- for the accommodation of a coil spring 77 which normally urges the block 63 radially inwardly so that the two clamping blocks 68, 68' are normally held against each other although they are movable away from each other to permit feeding of the terminal belt as will be described below.

A transverse slot '78 extends across the clamping block 68 from its opposite sides and opens onto the face till. This slot is of a width sufficient to permit the inward movement of the reduced cross sectional end portion 56 of the indentors. Semi-circular recesses 82, 83 are provided on the surface 8% which, when the blocks 63, 68' are against each other define circular openings for the terminal that is being crimped and for the terminal that was crimped during the previous operating cycle. it will be apparent from FIGURE 9 that the indentors are driven radially towards the geometric center of the opening defined by the recesses 82 when the blocks are against each other.

A cam 88 is pivotally mounted on a pin 9%} on the extension 70 of the clamping block and provides a rearwardly extending arm to which one end of a spring 92 is attached. The opposite end of this spring is anchored on a flange on the end of a stop 91 so that the cam 88 on the right hand side of FIGURE 4 is normally biased in a clockwise direction. The clockwise movement of this cam is limited by means of a stop pin 86 in extension 70 and adjacent to the previously mentioned pin 90. It will be apparent then that the cam 88 can be moved in a counterclockwise direction from its position as shown but can not be moved in a clockwise position.

The side of the cam which is adjacent to the meeting faces of the clamping blocks 68, 68' has a shoulder 94 which is adapted to be engaged by one side of an oscillable plate 96. During an initial portion of the operating cycle, this plate rotates about its pivotal axis as described below and moves relatively downwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 4 until it is past the center line of the tool and past the pin 90. During such movement it rotates the cam 88 in a counterclockwise direction. During a subsequent portion of the operating cycle, the plate moves relatively upwardly to its position of FIGURE 4 and the bevelled surface lllli on its upper side engages the rounded surface of cam 83 and tends to rotate it in a clockwise direction. Since, however, this cam cannot be rotated in such a direction by virtue of the presence of pin 86, the entire cam and the clamping block itself are moved rightwardly from the position shown in FIGURE 4. This has the effect of moving the clamping block 63 away from its clamping position with respect to the belt upon which the terminals are mounted. The left-hand clamping block 68' is similarly moved by means of the cam plate 96 acting through the cam 83. As previously mentioned the two cam plates andthe associated structure are substantial mirror images of each other, a fact which will be readily apparent from an inspection of FIGURE 4.

When the two clamping blocks 68, 68' are against each other and in clamping engagement with the belt, their abutting faces should be in precise parallel alignment with the center of the tool so that the uncrimped terminal will be in alignment with the wire entrance guides 61, hit in housings 58, 58'. A stop in the form of a bar 91 is provided on housing 58 to ensure such positioning of the clamping blocks. This step is held in position by fasteners 93 which secure the plates 84 to the housing and extends across the top surface of extension 70 of the clamping block. A pin 95 in extension 70 normally abuts this stop and limits the travel of clamping block 68 towards its counterpart 68'. Block 68 has a similar stop bar to limit its travel towards the axis of the tool.

The plate as is secured to a jack shaft 98 which extends transversely across the upper surface of the dividing plate 28, FIGURE 3. Shaft 98 is rotatably supported in bearing brackets 102, 162 secured to the upper surface of the plate 28 and on each side of the axis of the cylinder. The right-hand end of shaft g8 has a dog 1% mounted thereon having a generally arcuate arm 106 (FIGURE 2) which extends downwardly toward the surface of the plate 28. The end of this dog is adapted to be engaged by the end of a rod 108 which is slidably mounted in a guide 112 in plate 28. Rod 108 is normally biased downwardly as viewed in FIGURE 2 by means of a helical spring 114 which surrounds the rod and bears against an enlarged collar on its lower end. This collar rests against the lip of flange 18 of the piston 16 so that upon upward movement of the piston, the rod is also moved upwardy towards the frontal end of the tool. This movement, in turn, causes the dog 104 to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2 thereby rotating the jack shaft 98 in a counterclockwise direction and oscillating the plate 96 in the same direction. The plate 96' is also moved in the same direction by virtue of the fact that it is also secured to the jack shaft 98. Upon downward movement of the piston 16, the shaft is oscillated in the opposite direction (clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2) by virtue of the effect of coil spring 109. This spring is contained in a housing 107 in plate 28 and acts, through a plunger 111, on an arm 166 of a dog 104' on shaft 98. Spring 169 is compressed during the first portion of the cycle as the shaft is rotated by rod 108 and the energy thus stored is expended to return the shaft to its initial position during the second half of the cycle.

As previously pointed out, the blocks 68, 68 are provided for the purpose of clamping the belt B while the crimping operation is being carried out. During each cycle of operation of the tool, this belt is fed or advanced a distance equal to the spacing between adjacent terminals T thereon. The feeding or advancing means will now be described.

Referring particularly to FIGURES 7 and 8, the feeding means is mounted on a base block 116 which is secured to the upper surface of, and extends centrally across, plate 28. Notches 118 are provided on the sides of this base block in order to accommodate the bases of the cars 34. The sides of the block are shouldered and have secured thereto by means of screws, side plates 120, 122 which extend above the surface of the block and which define a support for a reciprocable feed shuttle frame 123. This shuttle frame is of generally channel-shaped cross section having sides 126, 128, the side 126 having its ends inwardly bent towards the center portion of the shuttle as shown at 124 and 125. A pairof plates 130, 134 are contained within the shuttle frame in opposed relationship to each other, the plate 130 having an extension 131 which extends through a cut out portion of the end 125 of the shuttle frame. The plate 134- has a longitudinally extending groove I136 for the accommodation of evenly spaced feed teeth 132 in the plate 130. The belting has evenly spaced perforations P which are adapted to be entered by these teeth so that the belt itself will be moved when the shuttle is moved in a feeding direction. When the shuttle is moved in the opposite direction, the teeth ride over the belt, which remains stationary, by virtue of their inclined surfaces 133. The plates 135), 134 are normally biased against each other by means of a leaf spring 138 which fits within a recess in the back surface of the plate 130 and bears against the inner surface of the side 126 of the shuttle frame. It is by virtue of this spring that the belt is loosely gripped between the opposed faces of the two plates 134, 13%

It is necessary to hold the belt against movement when the shuttle is moving in a non-feeding direction and this holding of the belt is achieved by means of a roller 144 disposed within a generally prismatic recess 14s in the end of the plate 129. This roller has a centrally located groove to permit movement therepast of the end tooth of plate 130. A rod 159 has a flanged end which bears against this roller and a spring 148 normally urges this end against the roller so that the roller is urged towards the lower portion of the prismatic recess. The belt is thus wedged by this roller and held against movement while the shuttle is moving over the belt in the nonfeeding direction. This stop however does not interfere with movement of the belt in a feeding direction (from left to right as viewed in FIGURE 7). When the belt is initially placed in the tool, rod 150 is manually pulled away from the housing to permit threading of the belt in the tool.

The shuttle is reciprocated by means of pin 14% which extends through a slot in side plate 122 and into the slot 142 in oscillable plate 96. The slot 142 is oversize relative to the pin so that the shuttle is moved in its nonfeeding direction only during the end portion of the upward stroke of the piston. In like manner the shuttle is moved in its feeding direction only during the final portion of the return stroke of the piston. This delay in the feeding motion of the shuttle relative to the movement of plate 96 permits the clamping blocks 68, as to move apart before the belt is advanced.

The operational sequence of the tool is as follows. At the start of the cycle, the clamping blocks 68, 68 will be disposed against each other and in gripping engagement with the belt and with an uncrimped terminal position in the recess defined by the grooves or recesses 82, 82'. The crimped terminal from the previous crimping cycle will be disposed in the opening defined by the recesses 83, 83 and will have been fed from the crimping zone to this adjacent opening. Prior to initiation of a new cycle, the operator will remove the previously crimped connector having a wire thereon from the recess 83. The operator will then insert the end of a wire into the connector held in the opening 82 and actuate the valve to drive the piston 16 through a complete cycle, that is upwardly and downwardly as viewed in FIGURE 3. Upon upward movement of the piston, the cam 20 will also move upwardly and its conical surface will cause the levers 36 to rock on their pivotal axes 33. The upper ends of the levers as viewed in FlGURE 2 will move convergingly towards each other during this portion of the cycle and thereby drive the indentors inwardly into the terminal positioned in the opening defined by the recesses 82, 32.

During this initial portion of the cycle the upward movement of the piston causes shaft 9% to be rotated in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 2.

The cam plate 96 is thereby also rotated in this direction as viewed in FIGURE 2 (i.e. downwardly as viewed in FIGURE 4). This movement of plate causes counterclockwise movement of cam 88 in FIGURE 4 but as previously explained, such movement of cam 88 does not disturb the clamping of the belt. The initial rotation of plate 96 also moves pin leftwardly in FIGURE 2 thereby moving the shuttle assembly in its non-feeding direction.

In the second portion of the cycle the piston moves downwardly and the levers as return to their initial positions (FIGURE 3) under the influence of springs 37. The levers withdraw the indentors during this movement as their upper ends move diveringly from the crimping zone of the tool. During this second portion of the cycle, jack shaf 93 rotates clockwise as viewed in FIGURE 2 under the inii ence of spring ltl and dog res. This rotation of the jack shaft causes plate 96 to move clockwise in FIGURE 2 or upwardly in FIGURE 4 from a position beneath the rounded surface on the end of cam 88. Since the cam 38 can not rotate freely because of pin 86, the cam is moved rightwardly in FIGURE 4 and the clamping block 63 is thereby moved in the same direction, The clamping block 68 is moved leftwardly in FIGURE 4 by virtue of a similar motion of cam 96'. clamping blocks have moved apart, the shuttle assembly is moved in its feeding direction as the side of slot M2 comes into engagement with the pinldtl of the clamp of the shuttle. It will be apparent that the lost motion connection 141?, 142 thus permits the clamping block to move apart before initial movement of the shuttle so that the belt is released before it is advanced.

The disclosed embodiment of the invention presents several noteworthy features which permit the use of strip or belt form terminals in a relatively small crimping tool. it will be noted, in the first place, that the entire feeding mechanism is disposed in alignment with the crimping dies or indentors and that it does not extend beyond the confines of the tool cylinder 2 which is determined by the size of these indentors and their actuating mechanism. In other words, the tool is not rendered bulky or unhandy by reason of the presence of the feeding mechanism; rather the feeding mechanism is fitted within the minimal dimensions of the tool as required by the crimping dies and their actuating mechanism itself. An additional important feature is that the belting or strip is positively clamped during all portions of the cycle excepting when it is being fed. This positive clamping and unclamping of the belt obviates the need for hold-down or similar devices which are qui e common in other types of bench mounted crimping devices and which impose a holding pressure on the strip to prevent overfeeding thereof. In this connection, it should he noted that the clamping of the belt by the clamping plates or blocks 68, 6% is controlled by the same mechanism that actuates the feed shuttle itself, i.e. the oscillable cams 96, 96 which both advance the shuttle and open the clamping blocks by means of the cams 88, 88'.

I claim:

1. A device for crimping electrical connectors by indentation, said connectors being secured together on a belt in spaced apart side-by-side relationship, said device comprising, a pair of clamping blocks adapted to receive said connectors therebetween, resilient means normally main taining said blocks in abutting relationship with each other, recesses in the abutting faces of said blocks to define an opening to hold the leading connector of said belt, a plurality of indentors movable radially through said blocks and into said opening, a reciprocable shuttle disposed adjacent to said clamping blocks having means thereon for engagement with said belt to advance said belt, an oscillable shaft extending transversely of the path of reciprocation of said shuttle, said shaft having camming means thereon for camming said blocks apart during movement of said shuttle in its feeding direction, said After the sw m a i camrning means being in engagement with said shuttle to reciprocate said shuttle.

2. A device for crimping electrical connectors by indentation from at least two opposite sides, said connectors being removably secured in parallel spaced-apart relationship to a flexible belt with their axes extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of the belt, said device comprising a pair of clamping block normally disposed against each other to clamp said belt, said blocks having recesses in their abutting faces to define an opening for gripping one of said connectors, indentors movable through said blocks and into said opening to crimp a connector held in said opening, a shuttle disposed beside said blocks and reciprocable along a path extending beside and parallel to said meeting faces, said shuttle having belt engaging means thereon for selectively engaging said belt during movement of said shuttle in a feeding direction only, and actuating means for sequentially moving said blocks apart, moving said shuttle in a belt feeding direction, moving said blocks together, moving said indentors' through said blocks and moving said shuttle in a direction opposite to said feeding direction whereby, an uncrimped connector is fed to a position between said blocks and clamped between said blocks, said connector is crimped, and said shuttle is retracted preparatory to the next operating cycle.

3. A device for crimping electrical connectors by in dentation from at least two opposite sides, said connectors being removably secured in parallel spaced-apart relationship to a flexible belt with their axes extending transversely of the longitudinal axis of said belt, said device comprising a pair of clamping blocks normally disposed against each other to clamp said belt along one side thereof, said blocks having-recesses in their abutting faces to define an opening for gripping one of said connectors, indentors movable through said blocks and into said opening to crimp a connector held in said opening, a shuttle disposed beside said blocks and reciprocable along a path extending beside and parallel to said meeting faces, said shuttle having belt engaging means thereon for selectively engaging said belt during movement of said shuttle in a belt feeding direction only, an oscillable shaft extending transversely of said abutting faces of said blocks and transversely of said shuttle, means acting between said shaft and said shuttle for reciprocating said shuttle, and means acting between said shaft and said blocks for moving said blocks apart during movement of said shuttle in a belt feeding direction.

4. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means acting between said shaft and said shuttle for reciprocating said shuttle comprises a pin on said shuttle and extending transversely thereof, and link means on said shaft in engagement with said pin whereby upon oscillation of said shaft, said pin is reciprocated thereby to reciprocate said shuttle.

5. Apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said means acting between said blocks and said shaft for moving said blocks apart comprises cam means on said blocks, and including means on said shaft for engaging said cam means to move said blocks apart upon oscillation of said shaft. 7

Rererences Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,015,020 Long Dec. 26, 1961 

1. A DEVICE FOR CRIMPING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS BY INDENTATION, SAID CONNECTORS BEING SECURED TOGETHER ON A BELT IN SPACED APART SIDE-BY-SIDE RELATIONSHIP, SAID DEVICE COMPRISING, A PAIR OF CLAMPING BLOCKS ADAPTED TO RECEIVE SAID CONNECTORS THEREBETWEEN, RESILIENT MEANS NORMALLY MAINTAINING SAID BLOCKS IN ABUTTING RELATIONSHIP WITH EACH OTHER, RECESSES IN THE ABUTTING FACES OF SAID BLOCKS TO DEFINE AN OPENING TO HOLD THE LEADING CONNECTOR OF SAID BELT, A PLURALITY OF INDENTORS MOVABLE RADIALLY THROUGH SAID BLOCKS AND INTO SAID OPENING, A RECIPROCABLE SHUTTLE DISPOSED ADJACENT TO SAID CLAMPING BLOCKS HAVING MEANS THEREON FOR ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID BELT TO ADVANCE SAID BELT, AN OSCILLABLE SHAFT EXTENDING TRANSVERSELY OF THE PATH OF RECIPROCATION OF SAID SHUTTLE, SAID SHAFT HAVING CAMMING MEANS THEREON FOR CAMMING SAID BLOCKS APART DURING MOVEMENT OF SAID SHUTTLE IN ITS FEEDING DIRECTION, SAID CAMMING MEANS BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SHUTTLE TO RECIPROCATE SAID SHUTTLE. 